Stepladder



A. SWANSON.

STEPLADDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8. I920.

5 7 g Patented July 27, 1920.

UNITED STATES AUGUST SWANSONZ OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.

STEPLADDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27, 1920.

Application filed March 8', 1920. Serial No. 364,280.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUcUsr SWANsON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stepladders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to step-ladders, and the object of the invention is to provide such ladders with a simple, automatlc brace, adapted to hold the feet of the ladder safely and securely spread apart.

The invention is fully shown and described in the description and claims following, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in wh1ch:-

Figure l is a central, vertical section of a step-ladder with my improved brace attached. Fig. 2 shows the parts of the brace detached.

In the drawing, the numeral 5 denotes a step-ladder,to the upper end of which is hinged a pair of supporting legs 6 1n the usual way. lVhen the ladder is in the selfsupporting position shown 1t is of the utmost importance that the legs be held rigidly and securely to the position indicated. Thls is effected by the simple mechanism described as follows:

To each of the legs 6 is attached a pivotstud 7, which as here shown is attached to a plate 8 riveted to the leg. Each stud engages a hole 9 in the end of a bridge-bar 10, which may be formed of angle-lron, as shown. In the middle of the bridge-bar is a lug 11, drilled to receive a rod 12, sliding freelv in the hole. The enlarged head 13 of this rod registers with a hole 14 large enough to allow it to pass through. A short distance from this hole is pivoted a latch 15, which, when depressed, engages a headed stud 16 by a notch 17. In this position the head of the rod is locked between the latch and the lug. The enlarged other end of the rod is hinged to a plate 18 bolted at 19 to one of the steps of the ladder. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the bridge-bar is located higher than the step connection of the rod, consequently when the ladder is collapsed, the bridge-bar slides along the rod, and the latter is brought to a position close to the collapsed ladder, and practically parallel therewith.

It will be evident that with the parts 1n the position shown in Fig. 1 the ladder is effectually and rigidly locked in a safe and stable position for use. No accidental ma nipulation of the brace can render the ladder unsafe. If the user has occasion to move the ladder to a new position, he may carry it by the brace-rod and one of the steps, or drag it by the bracerod alone. Nothing less than the positive lifting of the locking latch will permit the ladder to collapse. WVhen this is done, however, the ladder folds together very easily.

It is to be noted further that the locking action is automatic. The operator has onl to spread the legs away from the ladder as far'as possible, when the latch drops to look ing position by gravity. To insure this action of the latch a stop 20 is provided, to limit the lift of the latch.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a step-ladder having folding legs, a bridge-bar pivoted to said legs, a brace-rod pivotally connecting with one of the steps, and slidably connecting with the bridge-bar, means to limit the outward movement of the bridge-bar on the rod, and a lock to engage its end when in holding position.

2. In combination with a ladder having folding legs, a bridge-bar pivoted to said legs, and having a central lug to receive a brace-rod slidably, a head on said rod to stop the outward movement of the legs by the engagement of the head with said lug, a hole in the bridge-bar to allow the head to pass through, a locking latch to cross said hole and engagethe end of the rod, and a pivotal connection of the opposite end of the rod with one of the steps of the ladder.

3. In combination with a folding ladder, a bridge-bar, pivot-studs on the ladder-legs to engage its ends, a brace-rod connecting pivotally with one of the ladder-steps, a lug on the bridge-bar through which the rod slides, a head at the end of the rod larger than the hole in the lug, a hole in the bridgebar adjacent to the lug, to allow the head to pass through, a notched latch pivoted to the outer side of the bridge-bar, to abut against the end of the rod, and a headed stud to engage the notch of said latch.

4. In combination with a folding stepladder, a cross-bar pivoted between its legs, a brace-rod pivoted to one of the ladder steps relatively lower than the bridge-bar, and slidably connecting with the bridge-bar, a terminal head on said rod, a locking latch to engage said head on one side, and a lug 10 its other end' with one of the ladder-steps, a

locking latch for the end of the rod, and a stop to limit the upward swing of the latch, whereby the latch may drop to locking position by gravity.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 15 in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST SVVANSON. WVitnesses F. W. ARMSTRONG, J. M. ST. JOHN. 

